ARTE Documentary: Italy's Ancient Olive Trees in Danger I ARTE Documentary

Teacher or professor: ARTE Documentary
Subject: Science
Content of the Lesson: The Xylella bacteria have been raging in olive groves in southern Italy since 2013, causing trees to dry out and die. It has resulted in crop failure and the decline of entire regions. Many farmers are worried about their future, especially as the promised aid never reached them. Will it be possible to stop the killer bacteria? Since 2013, a bacterium has been decimating olive groves in Salento, in southern Italy. It devastated areas where several hundred thousand olive trees grew. To prevent its spread in the north of the country, the European Union has established a buffer zone within which each contaminated tree is felled, as well as all neighbouring trees within a perimeter of 100 meters. Ippazio Gianuzzi has lost 90% of his olive trees. This year, he harvested 60 quintals of olives, compared to his usual 500. He explains that he and his family are struggling to survive. He hopes the development of a new variety of olive trees, which are resistant to the bacteria, will solve the problem. If the constraints of industrial agriculture make it necessary to cut down contaminated trees and then plant new ones, there are other methods as well. Bacteriologist Marco Scorticchini is based in Rome and treats infected olive trees with a liquid mixture of zinc, copper and citric acid. The treatment helps alleviate the symptoms of the disease and the trees can continue to live despite the bacteria. But this method is expensive and remains controversial. Faced with this peril, there is a lack of agreement on the measures to be adopted. Should we plant new varieties of olive trees that could resist Xylella fastidiosa or use sustainable and still poorly understood methods? Either way, the race against time is on to save one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe. Available until the 10/02/2021 ARTE Documentary is here to tell you more about what’s going on in the world of culture and current affairs with powerful, refreshing and entertaining docs subtitled in English for our international fans. Discover a whole world on ARTE. 💡 Feel like watching our programmes subtitled in another language? ARTE in English 👉 https://www.arte.tv/en/ ARTE en español 👉 https://www.arte.tv/es/ ARTE in italiano 👉 https://www.arte.tv/it/ ARTE po polsku 👉https://www.arte.tv/pl/ Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVogAsASqbceBmQMi1WA39g You can also find us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ARTE.tv Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARTEen #Italy #olivetrees #ARTE


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